Why Do We Need Nutritional Supplements
Industrial agriculture, over-farming that prevents adequate soil recovery and newly introduced GMO foods have diminished the amounts of many of the essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in the food we grow. Today’s global food supply chain allows us to stock a wide variety of foods in our markets, but early picking practices and shipping produce long distances under less than ideal conditions both further deplete the availability of essential substances in foods. Add in the abundance of artificial or highly processed foods and the proliferation of additives designed to prolong shelf life, and there is now very little nutrition in the foods we eat. Meanwhile, our modern lifestyles, with stress, smog and lack of exercise, have actually increased our daily requirements for essential elements, vitamins and antioxidants.
In addition, medical research has now proven that certain health conditions are caused by nutritional deficiencies or can be healed with mega-doses of specific vitamins or minerals. Nearly everyone knows that calcium deficiency can cause osteoporosis and that lack of iron or Vitamin B12 can cause anemia, but new research shows that Vitamin D protects against colorectal cancers and potentially against autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes and lupus. Diets high in antioxidants and vitamin E are believed to protect against heart disease and strokes. The research continues to mount while the quality of the food we eat continues to deteriorate. As a result of the changes in our foods and the way we eat today, most people need to supplement their diets with essential nutrients, even if they are eating a healthy diet.
Sadly, even nutritional supplements may not help if you don’t take the right form. Some nutritional supplements don’t contain the amount of the active substance shown on the label—meaning you get less of the vitamin than you thought you were getting. In other supplements, the active substance is released too quickly or too slowly for maximum absorption, so once again you are not receiving all the benefit you should expect. Although people believe the FDA is closely overseeing the manufacturing and quality of nutritional supplements, the FDA is over burdened, under manned, and actually has little power to enforce the quality of dietary supplements. To obtain maximum benefit from any nutritional supplement, it must be highly absorbable, easy to take and have guaranteed and consistent potency. While these characteristics should be a given in all nutritional supplements, that isn’t always the case. Consumers have a right to expect consistent potency and quality of nutritional substances, but finding it may mean seeking out supplements from a company dedicated to the health and wellness of its customers.
You know you need nutritional supplements to achieve optimal health and wellness, and to ward off future illnesses such as cancer of autoimmune diseases. How can you ensure that the supplements you buy are providing the health benefits you expect?
Your first step should be to look for a company that cares as much about your health as it does about its own profits. Here are few things to look for when selecting a supplement:
- Guaranteed ingredients and potencies on every product
- Products that intelligently blend multiple vitamins, minerals and antioxidants into a single supplement to enhance the efficacy of the supplement
- Highly absorbable forms such as liquids and capsules to ensure you get all the health benefits you deserve
- A 100 percent money back guarantee
Most importantly, when trusting your health to a supplement, seek out a company that invests in educating consumers about the health benefits of nutritional supplements and that markets and manufactures a variety of the most beneficial substances based on the latest medical research. All consumers need nutritional supplements from trusted sources, since they can’t rely on food, the government or many supplement manufacturers to ensure they get the nutrition necessary to prevent disease and ensure optimal health. You need a supplement provider that cares about your health as much as you do.
Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/news/20100823/vitamin-d-linked-to-autoimmune-diseases
- Franklin VanOs